Modern business, manufacturing, computer, and other systems are often times complex. Such systems typically are formed of a set of interacting or interdependent system components that together form and define the system. During system operation, many varied system events occur, both events internal to the system as well as external events that potentially affect the system.
A manager or operator of the system, in order fully to be aware of the system operation should be aware of system-related events, particularly events that might deleteriously affect operation of the system.
In a complex system, a large number of events might occur daily. Logging of the occurrences of such events, when detected, permits subsequent review of the events by the system manager or operator. And, responsive to the subsequent review, the system manager or operator is able to take responsive action.
Because of the potentially large number of event occurrences, the log of the event occurrences is potentially very lengthy. And, review of the logged event occurrences might well be time-consuming.
Most simply, the system manager or operator review event occurrence log sequentially. That is to say, the review of the log comprises a review of every logged entry of an event occurrence. Such a review, in which the review iterates through each of the logged event occurrences, is time-consuming. And, if a small number of significant event occurrences are interspersed amongst a large number of insignificant event occurrences, a reviewer might not properly notice the significant event-occurrence entry in the log.
While various mechanisms are available by which to provide for alerts to be generated to highlight selected event-occurrence entries, the general, iterative review and analysis is still carried out in conventional, sequential and iterative manner.
An improved manner by which to provide for review and analysis of system-event occurrences would be beneficial.
It is in light of this background information related to system operation and management that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.